Marcion of Sinope was a second century church leader who was later censured for differentiating the Old Testament God from the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament. He dismissed the Old Testament God of wrath in favor of an edited...
There are hidden treasures tucked away in ancient monasteries: a professor found a fragment of the oldest Bible in an obscure eighteenth century book in an Egyptian monastery library, archeologists discovered rare gold coins hidden in an abandoned...
Some people don't act their age. Consider Mozart, who composed his first symphony at eight, or Joan of Arc who reversed the wartime fortunes of England at seventeen, or Pascal, who designed a calculator at nineteen. Today's story concerns the...
In John Bunyan's classic allegory, Pilgrim's Progress, Christian sets out on a journey from his hometown of the City of Destruction to his ultimate destination in Celestial City. Another pilgrim, Hopeful, joins him on the journey. Along the way,...
Dwight David Eisenhower was among our most religiously devout American presidents, raised with Jehovah's Witness and Brethren (comparable to Mennonite) influences. Since both groups embraced pacifism, Eisenhower's appointment to West Point and...
Charles Wesley (1707-1788) was conducting a Methodist outdoor gathering in 1746 when a group of drunken sailors interrupted the service with their rendition of a raunchy sailor song. Charles was leading worship at the time but somehow managed to...
Susan Cain observed that Western society promotes "the extrovert ideal" and gives preferential treatment to bold and charismatic leaders. Her best-selling book from a dozen years ago, Quiet: The Power of Introversion in a World That Can't Stop...
The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius wrote the symphonic poem Finlandia for a pageant in his homeland in 1899. It served as a patriotic song in Finland's struggle to maintain its independence from neighboring Russia. Much of the symphony conveys the...
We live in an age of hurry. The speed of technological change feeds our frenzied busyness. Our constant need for connectivity in this digital world perpetuates a pervasive sense of rush and anxiety. The title of a book written by John Mark Comey,...
Two things stand out about the life of John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892): his poetry and his devotion to Christ. These two central ambitions combine to effect lasting change in the battle over slavery. First, his poetry. John became the most...
David prayed, "Have mercy on me, O Lord" (Ps. 51.1). Jesus commended the tax collector who prayed, "Lord, have mercy on me, sinner" (Luke 18.3). Mercy is what we need from God. If we prayed for justice, we wouldn't stand a chance! Mike Howerton...
She's best remembered as the woman who refused to relinquish her seat on a bus. Rosa Parks (1913-2005) was a curious choice to galvanize a bus boycott. She was quiet and unassuming. Martin Luther King, Jr., the 26-year-old Montgomery, Alabama...
Daniel Alexander Payne (1811-1893) received his call to educate while praying. It came shortly after his conversion at 18, when "I gave my whole heart to God." As he was praying, he sensed God setting him apart to educate enslaved Blacks. Born to...
One popular stop on Boston's Freedom Trail is the Old Granary Burial Grounds, where many famous early Americans such as John Hancock and Paul Revere are buried. One million tourists visit this historic American landmark each year. Etched into its...
People associate meditation with Eastern religions like Buddhism and Hinduism. Meditation conjures up people with eyes closed, breathing slowly, sitting cross-legged in lotus position chanting certain words and phrases (called a mantra). Yet...
Walter Lowrie served as a U.S. Senator and Senate Secretary from 1819 to 1836. His two sons left the comforts of their Pennsylvania home to become Christian missionaries: John Lowrie devoted a lifetime to missionary work in India while Walter M....
I normally focus on people's virtues in these prayer posts, but I will make an exception here. The person who generated today's prayer leaves me no other choice. I'll let Brennan Manning (1931-2013) introduce himself to you, "I've been a priest,...
"Remember the poor" was the lone request Peter, James, and John made of Paul as he began his outreach to Gentiles (Galatians 2.10). Paul was quick to add that caring for the poor was "the very thing I was eager...